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Health policy
Protocol
The role of academic health centres in building equitable health systems: a systematic review protocol
  1. Alexandra Edelman1,2,
  2. Judy Taylor3,
  3. Pavel V Ovseiko4,
  4. Stephanie M Topp1
  1. 1College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
  2. 2Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre, Queensland, Australia
  3. 3College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
  4. 4Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
  1. Correspondence to Ms Alexandra Edelman; alexandra.edelman{at}jcu.edu.au

Abstract

Introduction Academic health centres (AHCs) are complex organisations often defined by their ‘tripartite’ mission: to achieve high standards of clinical care, undertake clinical and laboratory research and educate health professionals. In the last decade, AHCs have moved away from what was a dominant focus on high impact (clinical) interventions for individuals, towards a more population-oriented paradigm requiring networked institutions and responsiveness to a range of issues including distribution of health outcomes and health determinants. Reflective of this paradigm shift is a growing interest in the role of AHCs in addressing health disparities and improving health system equity. This protocol outlines a systematic review that seeks to synthesise and critically appraise the current state of evidence on the role of AHCs in contributing to equitable health systems locally and globally.

Methods and analysis Electronic searches will be conducted on a pilot list of bibliographic databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, ERIC, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, Cochrane Library, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, Campbell Library and A+ Education, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2016. Apart from studies reporting clinical interventions or trials, all types of published peer-reviewed and grey literature will be included in the review. The single screening method will be employed in selecting studies, with two additional reviewers consulted where allocation is unclear. Quality and relevance appraisal utilising Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools will follow data extraction to a preprepared template. Thematic synthesis will be undertaken to develop descriptive themes and inform analysis.

Ethics and dissemination As the review is focused on the analysis of secondary data, it does not require ethics approval. The results of the study will be disseminated through articles in peer-reviewed journals and trade publications as well as presentations at relevant national and international conferences. Results will be further disseminated through networks and associations of AHCs.

Protocol registration International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) number CRD42016051802.

  • Academic health centre
  • health equity
  • health systems
  • health policy

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015435

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors AE conceived and designed the study and drafted the manuscript. SMT, JT and PVO provided input into study design and helped revise the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

    • Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. PVO is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford.

    • Competing interests AE is Program Operations Manager at the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre, a developing alliance between the Cairns and Hinterland, Mackay, North West, Torres and Cape, and Townsville Hospital and Health Services; the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network; and James Cook University, including the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.